Crankcase ventilation devices are used to extract from the crankcase gases (blow-by gases) that have entered into the crankcase of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle through leaks between the cylinder walls and the piston of the internal combustion engine without passing the gases into the environment as emission. Instead, these gases are mixed with the intake air and the mixture of these gases is supplied with the intake air to the internal combustion engine. When switching off the internal combustion engine, water can condense out, which can be deposited in the crankcase ventilation device and can be sucked in when re-starting the internal combustion engine.
The blow-by or crankcase gases contain water or moisture which can freeze to ice, when the internal combustion engine or the motor vehicle is operated in an environment with temperatures in the vicinity of or below the freezing point of water. Ice can form in the crankcase ventilation lines, possibly also in the intake air or charge airline leading to the injection device or to the turbocharger of the internal combustion engine. Ice formed in the crankcase gas inlet can then impede, restrict, or even bring to a stop the air flow in the crankcase gas inlet. As a result, an excess pressure can result in the crankcase. If ice particles become detached and are entrained with the intake air, this can lead to blockages in an injection device or even to damage in a turbocharger, possibly to air transport vanes of the turbocharger which are arranged in a fine mesh.
An approach to reduce ice formation is proposed in the document JP 8-246837 and is described hereinafter with reference to the appended FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C. In the ventilation devices 100 (see FIG. 1A) and 100′ (see FIG. 1C), the crankcase gas flow direction 142 or a cylindrical crankcase gas inlet attachment 145 is provided perpendicular to the intake air flow direction 122 on a wall of an inlet connecting piece 124. A cylindrical charge air outlet connecting piece 164 is a continuation of the inlet connecting piece 124. As a particular feature, a crankcase gas inlet connecting piece 144 is provided as an insert (see FIG. 1B) in the crankcase gas inlet attachment 145. The inlet connecting piece 144 is made of a material which has a low thermal conductivity and from the surface of which ice is easily detached. Moisture contained in the crankcase gas therefore tends to be deposited in liquid form, possibly as water drops, on the inlet connecting piece 144.
At least one object is to provide a crankcase ventilation device that prevents water or ice from forming at places where crankcase gas and intake air are mixed together. In addition, other objects, desirable features, and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.